Jules van Dongen completely changes tack: 'The Dutch Dragon' makes radical switch and starts throwing left-handed due to neurological condition

Jules van Dongen has been struggling with a persistent condition called dystonia for some time. Recently told that it cannot be cured, the 35-year-old American Dutchman has made a remarkable decision: 'The Dutch Dragon' has chosen to play the sport left-handed from now on.

Van Dongen announced this news himself on his official X-account: "Back from a break after the World Cup and World Series. Unfortunately no cure for dystonia possible, so I have resumed left-handed training," said the Missouri native. This will mean that the Dutch native will now have to train completely and only with his left throwing arm, which means he will have to find his technique and feel again.

'The Dutch Dragon' had been underperforming for a long time, and this had everything to do with dystonia, a neurological disorder in which muscles can tighten at random moments when performing specific actions. Van Dongen previously revealed that the trapezium of his right hand, a muscle group around the thumb, no longer functions properly while throwing.

Dystonia can be explained as a more serious variant of darteritus. With darteritus, players can't release their darts under pressure, where dystonia is a medical disorder that you can't get rid of. Partly because of this, the American Dutchman decided to change tack and choose to throw with his left hand from now on.

Because of this, however, he will have to start completely from scratch and teach himself everything all over again. From positioning himself at the oche, to the rhythm in his pitching and regaining self-confidence. It remains to be seen whether Van Dongen will ever be able to regain his old level. But at least 'The Dutch Dragon' seems to want to do everything in his power not to disappear silently from the sport.